Mill Hill & Beachy (15-18 September)

Wednesday 18 September. I took Cookie up to Mill Hill where we saw a Sparrowhawk, 7 Swallows, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 6 Chiffchaffs, 20 Blackcaps, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Grey Wagtail and 11 Meadow Pipits.

Spotted Flycatcher at Mill Hill

another Spotted Flycatcher at Mill Hill

Tuesday 17 September. I walked around Beachy Head seeing 5 Little Egrets, 3+ Buzzards, 5 Sparrowhawks, 3 Swifts, 2 Peregrines, 3 Ravens, 40+ Blue, 10+ Great and 8 Long-tailed Tits, Sand Martin, hundreds of Swallows and House Martins, 9 Chiffchaff, a Sedge, 2 Grasshopper and a Garden Warbler, 32 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 46 Common Whitethroats, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Redstarts, 5 Whinchats, 26 Stonechats, 4 Wheatears, 11 flava Wagtails and 60+ Meadow Pipits. It sounds like a lot when read through quickly and at times it was enjoyable but spread over the period 06:25-15:40 and walking from Birling to Cow Gap and Whitbread Hollow and back over the rides and via Frost Hill it was usually very slow and like most of my recent increasingly infrequent visits to Beachy somewhat disappointing. Highlight of the day was two low flying B2 Stealth Bombers.

early Whinchat opposite Hodcombe

A rabbit near the cliff edge at Icky Ridge, not my usual photographic subject but it was that sort of day

Spotted Flycatcher in Frances Bottom

Redstart in the Radio Mast bushes

one of two B2 Stealth Bombers off Beachy Head, not the raptors we were hoping for skywatching at the Old Trapping Area

after banking they flew past at little more than clifftop height

Clouded Yellow at Beachy

Wheatear on Frost Hill

flava Wagtails near Cornish Farm

the rear bird had the feel of a 'Channel' Wagtail about it

Monday 16 September. A look of the east arm of Shoreham Harboer after a morning dental appointment in Hove produced absolutely nothing. Later Megan and I took Cookie to Buckingham Park where a mixed flock included at least 10 Blue and a Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Sunday 15 September. Megan and I took Cookie up to Mill Hill where we saw 10 Swallows, 25 House Martins, 2 Chiffchaffs, 7 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 3 Common Whitethroats and a Redstart. A low tide visit to the Adur before dusk produced 36 Ringed Plover, a Turnstone, 6 Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper.

7-14 September. St. Valery-sur-Somme - coming next

Friday 6 September. Megan and I took Cookie up to Mill Hill where we saw 7 Swallows, 6 Chiffchaffs, 9 Blackcaps, a Whitethroats and a Meadow Pipit. 

Thursday 5 September. A low tide visit to the Adur before dusk produced 45 Ringed Plover and 4 Dunlin.